The Police and
Crime Commissioner (PCC) had previously raised concerns over
individuals being detained under Section 136 (S136) of the Mental
Health Act (MHA) being taken to Police Stations and retained in
police cells rather than a health-based Place of Safety. The
Police and Crime Act 2017 made the use of Police Stations as Places
of Safety a “never event”. Prior to this there had been
a reliance on police stations to “hold” citizens
awaiting a MHA assessment.

Staffordshire
currently had two health based Places of Safety (PoS), one in Newcastle and one in Stafford, with a
number of routes for individuals detained under S136. The main
course of action would be for a Police Constable or Street Triage
staff to bring the individual into the PoS.

The County
Council has representation at S136 operational meetings. Through
the Operational meetings it has been reported that, since December
2017, there has been no detentions under S136 in Police Custody
Suites. There had been a reduction in the use of S136 over the last
year, although there had been a slight increase in S136 for under
18s. Members also heard that on 14 May 2018 there had been a Police
And Crime Act (PACA) review, at which point there had been no
adults or children detained under S136 at a Police Station since
the commencement of PACA. The Select Committee received details of
the number of assessments undertaken each month since the
introduction of PACA.

The Select Committee were reassured with the
work undertaken to ensure those detained under S136 were taken to
health based PoS and were never
routinely retained in Police Custody. They agreed that the Chairman
should write to the PCC on their behalf to allay his concerns.

RESOLVED – That the
Select Committee Chairman write to the Staffordshire PCC advising
him of their reassurance in the work undertaken to ensure those
detained under S136 of the MHA are taken to health based
PoS and never routinely retained in
police custody.

[Robert Simpson,Customer Services Group
Manager (Stafford Borough Council) and DCI Nicola Furlong
(Staffordshire Police) also in attendance for this
item]

The Select Committee has regularly received
updates on Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) since 2014. CSE
continues to be a priority for Staffordshire Safeguarding Children
Board (SSCB) and its partners under their Child Sexual Abuse
strategic priority. Members were updated on the work of the Child
Sexual Abuse Forum (CSAF), its CSE Action Plan and the CSE Outcomes
Framework and Risk Factor Matrix.

Policies and protocols for Staffordshire licensing authorities
in terms of issuing taxi licenses had been agreed. This had
included level 1 safeguarding training and enhanced DBS checks for
all taxi drivers seeking a license within Staffordshire. A recent
Staffordshire inter authority audit showed that all authorities
were adhering to these policies and protocols. Some Councils were
also requiring drivers to sign up to the CRB updating service,
enabling information to be current rather than updated every three
years. The Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Responsible Bodies
Group (SSRGB) were considering recommending that all Staffordshire
licensing authorities make this a requirement.

Concerns were shared over Wolverhampton City Council taxi license charges. On
average a license charge was between £190 to £220,
however Wolverhampton were now charging
£69. This had resulted in a significant increase in license
applications to Wolverhampton, from 859
licenses last year to 9000 this year already. Concerns were raised
as to whether the safeguarding standards and accountability were as
stringent as those agreed within Staffordshire. There was an
understanding that licenses were being awarded to drivers who may
have a virtual base in Wolverhampton
but who worked elsewhere. Representatives from Wolverhampton City Council were to be invited to
the October meeting of the SSRBG to explain their licensing
process and management. The Select Committee requested that they be
informed of the outcome of this meeting. The Cabinet Member for
Children and Young People suggested that there may be an
opportunity for the Local Government Association (LGA) to bring
together some national best practice guidelines which help address
the concerns of inconsistency in licensing authority requirements.
The Select Committee intends to write to the LGA outlining their concerns over the inconsistency of
licensing protocols across the Country and suggest good practice
guidelines would be beneficial.

Taxi drivers used for school journeys for
vulnerable young people underwent enhanced DBS checks and were
included on an accredited framework of drivers. Members queried
whether drivers and/or passenger assistants were required to have
first aid training. This was not currently a requirement, although
first aid kits were carried on all licensed vehicles. Members
requested that the advise and guidance with respect to the use of
first aid by taxi drivers/passenger assistants be clarified and
this detail be shared with Members.

Members also discussed the potential
difficulties and anxieties for parents of vulnerable young people
who use the school taxi service. In particular their possible
reluctance to challenge a driver if they had concerns because of
the possible consequences for ...
view the full minutes text for item 14.

The Scrutiny Manager informed the Select
Committee of discussions at the 29 May Triangulation meeting and
subsequent discussions with the Chairman and Vice Chairman to
develop the work programme and to manage items. A further request
was made for details of post 18 transition services and it was
agreed that a briefing note would be produced and shared with
members on this issue in the first instance.

RESOLVED – That the
amended work programme be shared with Members after the meeting and
that a briefing note on post 18 transition services be
requested.

16.

Exclusion of the Public

The Chairman to move:-

“That the public be excluded from the
meeting for the following items of business which involve the
likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the
paragraphs of Schedule 12A (as amended) of the Local Government Act
1972 indicated below”.

Part Two

(All reports in this section are exempt)

Minutes:

RESOLVED- That the public be excluded from the meeting for
the following items of business which involve the likely disclosure
of exempt information as defined in the paragraphs of Part 1 of
Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 indicated
below

The Committee then proceeded to consider
reports on the following issues: